Memories That Remain
by Gypsy Esmerelda
Summary: Hermione returns home after burying her husband but can't leave some of her memories buried in the past.
1. Returning Home

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Memories That Remain

By Gypsy Esmerelda

Rating PG

"Hermione! Oh thank goodness you're here."

Ginny Potter pulled the older girl into the room hurriedly and handed her a green eyed, red haired baby girl. "Here, take Molly. I think James is asleep. Harry will be home any minute and he wants me to be ready." She disappeared into the bedroom.

Hermione sat down on the couch with Molly, Ginny and Harry's six-month-old baby girl and looked at her nervously. She'd not had much practice looking after babies, especially ones she'd never even seen before. She'd only just got used to Ron's triplets and they were four years old now. Ginny popped her head back round the door.

"Oh and by the way, Hermione. Thank you for doing this for Harry and me. I know it's your first night back and you probably wanted to catch up with everything but this party is really important to Harry. He's awfully nervous about Gringotts being taken over by the Ministry and he wants to impress the bosses. You know I wouldn't usually ask you at such short notice but with it being the Ministry, Mum and Dad can't baby-sit and Ron and Lisa are on holiday, they only get back tonight at some ungodly hour."

Hermione smiled. Ginny hadn't changed, not even now she was married with children, she was still a worrier.

"Ginny, relax. It's fine, I hadn't got anything planned. Like you said, Ron's away and besides he'd only fuss over me. I'm probably better off with time to think and be by myself."

Ginny went over and took Molly from Hermione and placed her in her crib, then sat down by Hermione, taking her hand.

"Oh Hermione, we're all so sorry to hear about Draco. If there's anything at all we can do to help you through this terrible time."

Hermione smiled at her, trying to hold back her tears.

"Thank you Ginny. Just knowing I have my friends around me again is enough for now. I just need to recover in my own time."

Ginny nodded and gently brushed Hermione's hair back from her face then gasped softly when she saw the scar on her neck.

"Is that where he………?"

Hermione nodded.

"Yes that's where he cursed me," she said, brushing her hair back over the mark. She looked up at Ginny and smiled reassuringly. "It's okay, you go and get ready, I'll get to know my two new godchildren."

Ginny nodded and patted her shoulder gently and then fled into the bedroom to get changed. Hermione sat quietly, just letting her thoughts wander. It was five years since she had left Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, four years since she had started to date Draco Malfoy, one of her bitterest enemies at school yet such a gentle lover and devoted husband. It was three years since she had married him and moved away from her childhood friends, choosing instead to live in France with Draco and it was two years since she had discovered she was expecting their first child, a little girl. Draco was delighted, his father however, was not.

"A child, Draco! A FEMALE child! I always had such high hopes for you my boy. I could even forgive you for marrying a mudblooded inferior like her but a FEMALE offspring. No, this just won't do. She must get rid of it!"  
Lucius Malfoy stalked up and down in front of the fireplace, angrier than Draco had ever seen him before. He knew he wasn't going to be happy about the child but he also knew that his last demand was never going to be agreed to.

"She will not get rid of her, Father. That 'it' you refer to is my daughter, my beautiful innocent baby girl. I'm not telling Hermione to terminate her pregnancy just because of your foolish pride. It's about time there were some changes in the Malfoy family and the first girl descendant will be one of them. And that is final."

Lucius glared at his son, his eyes glowing almost red with anger and hatred.

" I shall do it myself then." He turned on his heel and walked into the bedroom where Hermione was cowering behind the bed. "Stand up, girl."

Draco followed him in and stood next to Hermione.

"Leave my wife alone, and get out of our house."

Lucius laughed softly and took out his wand, pointing it at Hermione.

"I told you I would do this myself, Draco."

He spoke the curse softly, almost as if it were an ode to love, not a curse of death and destruction. Hermione watched him, seeing it all happen in slow motion. Draco pulled out his own wand and with a cry, he leapt in front of her to protect her, issuing the killing curse at his father at the same time Lucius' curse, meant for Hermione, hit Draco square in the chest and he fell to the floor by her feet. Lucius gave a strangled cry as Draco's curse hit him and as he fell to the floor, he sent another curse heading Hermione's way but Hermione was already dropping to her knees to her dying husband. The curse hit her in the neck and she fell unconscious to the floor.

When she had regained consciousness, she was in the hospital. She had been unconscious for over a year. A nurse had broken the news to her. Lucius may have been dead but he had won in the end. Draco was dead and their unborn baby was lost, she had nothing, not even a part of Draco to take with her. The Malfoy line had ended with Draco's death at the hands of his father, something she would never be able to come to terms with. Yet she suddenly found herself needing someone else. Someone she had loved a long time before and deep down in her heart, she still loved. As soon as she was able, she'd packed her bags and left France, never to return again and headed back home. Home to the person she needed most of all, hoping he would forgive her for ever leaving and starting a new life with Draco, without him, in Paris, France. The one place where it had all started, the one place they had been truly happy.


	2. Forgiveness & Discovery

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Memories That Remain 2

By Gypsy Esmerelda

Rating PG

"Harry!"

Ginny's shout brought Hermione back to the present and she stood up and turned to face her old school friend. Ginny hugged Harry tightly.

"I'm nearly ready, just need to finish my hair and makeup." She kissed him lightly on the cheek and vanished back into the bedroom, leaving Harry and Hermione alone in the lounge. For a few moments neither of them spoke. They just stood watching each other, waiting for the other to break the silence. Suddenly, Hermione found she couldn't bear the silence any longer.

"It's good to see you again, Harry."

Something flashed briefly in Harry's eyes but Hermione couldn't be sure what it was. Anger? Hurt? Or was it pity or regret? The moment passed and Harry smiled at her, and suddenly it was as if the past five years hadn't happened and they were school friends once more. And then Harry was by her side and she was hugging him, scared that if she let go, he'd disappear.

"Oh Hermione, I'm so sorry about Draco. He must have loved you very much."

Hermione sniffled against his shoulder and nodded.

"Yes he did, I didn't deserve the amount of love he gave me, for I could never give him the same amount of love back.

Harry nodded but shushed her.

"Please don't, Hermione."

Hermione looked up at him, her dark brown eyes filled with sorrow.

"Oh Harry, please say you've forgiven me. That's all I want, you and Ron to forgive me for leaving."

Harry gently brushed a strand of hair from her cheek.

"Of course I forgive you. I can't speak for Ron but I'm sure he has too. He probably forgave you as soon as Lisa did, he always listens to her."

Hermione smiled.

"Yes he does. He's besotted with her."

Lisa Edrickson had been Ron's sweetheart since Hogwarts and finally after their Year Seven exams, he'd married her, settling down in a lovely cottage not far from the Burrow. Only a year later, Lisa had given birth to triplets Lily, Damon and Brenden, all with the traditional Weasley red hair and their mothers beautiful green eyes. There had never been anyone else for Ron, not since the moment he'd laid eyes on Lisa. Ginny came back into the room.

"I'm ready."

Hermione released Harry and smiled.

"I needed that hug. And thank you."

Harry kissed her forehead gently.

"You're welcome, Mione."

He smiled again and then crossed over to Ginny.

"Well, we'd better be going. I don't want to be late."

He offered Ginny his arm and she took it. She turned to Hermione and smiled.  
"Thanks again for babysitting, Hermione. They should be no trouble at all, they'll both be asleep in no time and should sleep right through. Help yourself to anything to eat or drink, we shouldn't be home too late."

Her words tailed off as they apparated out of the room and Hermione was alone again. She took Molly through to the nursery and settled her in her crib. After checking on James, she wandered through to the kitchen and made herself a sandwich and poured herself a glass of pumpkin juice. On returning to the lounge, she placed her snack on the coffee table and walked over to the bookcase. She scanned through the titles, looking for something to read. She noticed one without a title and pulled it out. As she removed the book, something fell out of it. She picked it up and turned it over. It was a photograph. She gasped softly as she realised what it was. A boy and a girl sat on the banks of a river and in the background, the Eiffel Tower stood proudly. She looked back at the figures in the foreground of the picture and tears pricked her eyes.

"I can't believe he kept it."

She looked at the book in her hand and realised it was a photo album. Hesitantly, she opened it and as she gazed at the photos inside, her mind took her back. Back to that summer Hermione Granger had spent in Paris with her one true love, Harry Potter.


	3. Confessions

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Memories That Remain 2

By Gypsy Esmerelda

Rating PG

It was their final day at Hogwarts. Hermione, Ron and Harry stood on Platform 9 ¾, their school trunks by their feet. Harry and Ron were making arrangements to meet in Diagon Alley in a couple of days so they could be fitted for their wedding robes.

"Can you believe I'm getting married in two weeks?" Ron said.

Harry laughed

"I can't believe you finally asked her. You've been planning it since the moment you saw her. What took you so long?"

Ron punched his arm playfully.

"The question is, Harry my friend, what's taking you so long? When are you going to settle down?"

Harry chuckled and grinned at Ron.

"I don't want to spoil things the way they are now."

Hermione turned away from them, leaving them to their boy talk and watched as the Hogwarts Express pulled out of the station. It was the last time she'd see the train and a tear trickled down her cheek as she watched her childhood vanish into the mist. She was seventeen years old and a Hogwarts graduate. She was suddenly aware of Harry's hand in hers and looked up at him gratefully. Ron had disappeared over to the other side of the platform to talk to Lisa and it was just the two of them. Harry squeezed her hand gently and smiled.

"All right, Mione?"

She nodded. "I'm okay, Harry. It just seems strange to think I won't be going back again."

"But you'll be going back one day, Hermione."

She looked at him confused.

"What do you mean?"

Harry chuckled. "You'll be going back to teach, silly."

Hermione grinned.

"I'd forgotten about that, of course I will," she giggled. She was going to train as a teacher for the next few years. Harry hugged her close to him.

"Hermione, I've got something to ask you."

She looked up at him, her arms around his waist.

"Yes Harry?"

Harry shifted nervously.  
"Well, you see I didn't really know what to get you for your birthday and I remember you mentioning how much you like travelling and especially Paris. So I got these tickets and I..umm…well…would you come to Paris with me this summer as my birthday gift to you?"

Hermione looked up at him, speechless. He looked back down at her, biting his lip nervously and suddenly Hermione had this overwhelming desire to kiss it. She leaned upwards and brushed her lips across his gently and then whispered in his ear.

"I'd love to, Harry."

He gazed at her in surprise and then suddenly he was kissing her again, not just a soft brush of the lips but a passionate embrace as all their built up feelings came flooding out and overtook them. As they broke apart, she was aware of Ron and Lisa standing beside them, grinning from ear to ear.

"Well, its about time too," said Ron with a grin. "You've both been fighting that all year, I thought it was never going to happen."

Hermione blushed softly and to his credit, so did Harry.

"It wasn't that easy, Ron. I didn't want to lose her."

Ron shook his head and smiled.

"You never will."

Three weeks later, while Ron and Lisa were in the Dominican Republic on their honeymoon, Harry and Hermione walked hand in hand down the Champs Elysee in Paris. They passed a small café and Harry pulled her inside and sat at a table. They ordered drinks and he reached over and took her hand gently in his.

"Hermione, thank you."

She wrinkled her nose in confusion.

"For what, Harry?"

He smiled and kissed her fingertips gently.

"For being here with me, for making this holiday one to remember, for being my friend and my girlfriend, for being born."

Hermione smiled.

"Oh Harry, I love you, you know that." She stopped and looked up at him, realizing what she'd said. "I _do_ love you, Harry."

Harry nodded.

"I love you too, Hermione. And I always will. Nothing will ever change how I feel about you."

Hermione leant across the table and kissed him softly. The waiter arrived with their drinks and they sat together, holding hands and kissing and drinking until the sun started to set. Harry took her hand and they walked back towards their hotel. Harry collected their room keys and they headed upstairs. They reached Hermione's room and she opened the door. She turned back to Harry and he smiled, kissing her lips gently.

"Sleep well, Hermione," he said softly and turned to enter his room which was just opposite hers. Hermione reached out and laid her hand upon his arm.  
"Don't go," she said, her heart banging against her chest nervously. Harry's eyes met hers and the promise he'd secretly made to himself before the holiday, the promise that he'd take things slowly with her was forgotten and he let her pull him inside her room, the door closing behind him and he took her into his arms.


	4. Is this the end?

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Memories That Remain 4

By Gypsy Esmerelda

Rating PG

Harry was awoken the next morning by a knock on the door and a call of 'Room Service'. Seeing Hermione was still sleeping, he got out of bed and opened the door. One of the porters wheeled a trolley into the room and Harry thanked him and took the trolley over to the bed. Climbing back under the sheets, he gently shook Hermione awake.

"Hermione?"

She moaned softly and opened her eyes, smiling when she saw him.

"Good morning Harry."

"Hermione, what's this?"

She looked at the trolley, piled high with croissants, bread and toast and jams. She grinned at him.

"Breakfast in bed, of course."

She reached over and took a croissant off the tray. Harry watched her nibbling it and then a grin spread across his face.

"You had last night planned all along, didn't you?"

Hermione looked up at him and giggled playfully.

"Maybe." She squealed in delight as Harry pounced on her, kissing her all over. She entwined her arms around him and pulled him closer to her. Breakfast was forgotten.

Later that day, as they sat dining in a small restaurant, Hermione watched Harry. He seemed to be preoccupied. This was their last night in Paris and she wanted it to be perfect. But she could tell that something was bothering him.

"Harry? What's wrong?"

Harry looked up at her.

"What makes you think anything is wrong?

Hermione smiled softly.

"Because you've hardly spoken all night. Something is bothering you and I want to help."

"How long will you be away at college for?"

She smiled to herself. So that was it.

"Only a year or two, Harry. But I'll have all the holidays to come home for."

Harry nodded and pushed his food around his plate silently. Hermione sighed.

"Harry, talk to me, tell me what you're thinking."

Harry looked up.

"I need you with me, Hermione. I don't want just a couple of weeks over Christmas and a few weeks in summer. I want you with me all the time."

"But I thought you were training to be an Auror? I can't be with you then, can I?"

Harry shook his head.

"I'm not becoming an Auror. I completely flunked Transfiguration. I'm going to work at Gringotts, Bill managed to get me a job there."

Hermione looked at him, stunned. Harry had been working towards being an Auror for ages.

"Oh Harry, I'm so sorry. I know how much becoming an Auror meant to you."

Harry shrugged.

"It's okay, Mione. Plus Gringotts isn't so bad. I know it won't be as exciting as being an Auror but it's still pretty cool."

Hermione squeezed his hand softly. He smiled at her but she could tell he wasn't happy. He looked back up at her.

"Hermione, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked you to stay. You deserve to go on that teacher training. You deserve to be happy and fulfill your dreams. I'm not going to ask you to give that up for me. I'm just being selfish."

Hermione looked at him for a moment and then she knew. She knew it was over. Harry would never be truly happy if she went away to college and she would never forgive him if she stayed at home. He caught her eye and he knew it too. He stood up and walked round to her side of the table and held out his hand. She took it, not a word passing between them and he led her over to the dance floor where the restaurant band was playing a slow, sad melody. He pulled her into his arms for what he knew would be their first and last dance.


End file.
